Using Technology to Facilitate Specialised Teaching with Students with Learning Difficulties

In 2013, a study done by the University College of London shows that learning difficulties (LD) such as, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, auditory processing disorder, Dyscalculia, non-verbal learning disability, Dyspraxia and certain affective issues such as anxiety, low self-esteem, attention deficit (with or without hyperactivity), executives functioning difficulties, etc. affects approximately 10% of the population. This means 2 or 3 students per average class room size.

With this number of students concerned, it is important that schools and teachers are well equipped to provide the best help possible to those students. Technology can be a useful tool to facilitate the work of the teachers, parents and administration. Specialised Canadian schools have been using this technology to build Individual Education Plans for over 10 years now. Stephane Proulx, Director of Vanguard School's Educational Services and Director of the Vanguard Center of Expertise, says...

“I am responsible for managing 132 teachers in school adaptation and 20 professionals working as a multidisciplinary team. As a manager, I use the Individual Education Plan platform to be able to observe the different dynamics of my teams in the deployment of strategies for students. I know that this system promotes the participation and involvement of the entire team. With this platform, I also know that the intervention team knows about the plan and are up to date with the continuous changes. This ensures the consistency between each team member’s actions and thus optimises our efficiency with our students.”

Specialised Canadian schools have been using technology to digitise and share their knowledge. The system can help build learning plans adapted to each student while taking advantage of the expertise and feedback. Veronique Dinel, a newly graduated teacher, explains “I am starting my second year as a teacher. Despite the knowledge I acquired, I never really had the opportunity to develop my skills in the field during my university years. Fortunately, the Individual Intervention Plan software largely addresses this situation. It is a very useful guidance tool that leads me to reflect and make wise choices and helps me make the right decisions. I really feel that I am more in control and that I am able to target the best intervention for my students. My colleagues can use the platform to give me their commentaries and to keep me posted daily on each student’s development.”

Using this technology to share knowledge and facilitate teamwork has enabled the specialised Canadian schools to achieve the same success rate at the secondary school final exams of the Ministry of Education as any other school.

If you are interested to learn more about this tool to make Individual Education Plan for children with learning difficulties, please contact ITFAQ systems & Softwares at: